The invention relates generally to a method of and apparatus for processing a band of exposed and developed photosensitive material.
More particularly, the invention relates to a method and apparatus in which a band of exposed and developed photosensitive material is conveyed longitudinally along a predetermined path. The band travels through a scanning station where it is scanned to determine the positions of the transverse edges of the images, i.e., the edges of the images extending along the width of the band. These positions, in turn, serve to identify the positions of the unexposed areas between neighboring images. Scanning may be carried out photoelectrically and can be accomplished, for example, via a scanning slit which extends across the path of the band. At a processing station spaced from the scanning station, an operation is performed on areas of the band having specific positional relationships relative to the images. Movement of the images is regulated by measuring the length of the band travelling by a predetermined location of its path. The length measurements can be used to assign position coordinates to the edges detected in the scanning station and such position coordinates, which represent the positions of the detected edges longitudinally of the band, are stored.
A method of marking an elongated band consisting of a plurality of individual films joined end-to-end is disclosed in the commonly-owned U.S. patent application no. 415,066 filed 29 Sep. 1989. Here, the positions of the transverse edges of the images, i.e., the positions of the unexposed areas between neighboring images, are determined for the entire band. The band is transported step-by-step and, after making adjustments for the relationships between the positions of the edges, the lengths of the respective images and the lengths of the steps, the edge of the band is provided with markings. These markings are used to properly position the images relative to a copying window or a cutting device. However, no information is obtained on how to cut the band, given the overall length of the latter and the number of images, so that none of the resulting strips are too long or too short.
In the commonly-owned U.S. patent application no. 415,065 filed 29 Sep. 1989, individual films in a copying apparatus are wound onto a take-up reel constituting part of a storage device. As a film is fed into the storage device, the film is scanned over its entire length by means of a narrow scanning slit in order to generate density values for exposure control and additional values for positioning purposes. These values are sent to a computer for storage and processing.
The entire film is subsequently removed from the storage device by reversing the direction of travel of the film and conveying the latter by the copying window of the copying apparatus. To prepare the film for delivery to the customer, the film must then be manually wound or manually cut into strips of appropriate length.